Can cloud security ever work?

An interesting question, posed by V3.co.uk: Can cloud security ever work? – How relevant is the question by itself? When computers and especially personal computers were introduced, people asked as well whether the security on a PC will ever work – the question is just not relevant. Let’s face it: The Cloud will come! Period. We just have to figure out, how we will manage risks in the Cloud – that’s our job.

I read figures that Cloud computing will be up to 8 times less expensive than on-premise computing. Now, show me the CEO who will not want to save this money. And the order given to the CIO will be “make it happen”. And then the CIO comes to the CSO and says: “secure it”. Here I am completely sure. What about turning it around and being proactive? Making security an enabler instead of a disabler? Then we can make the Cloud happen with acceptable risks.

Roger

Comments

• Anonymous
  October 07, 2010
  The problem with "security in the cloud" is that it's extremely difficult and 99% is about "do i trust my cloud provider"? The answer in general to that question should be "absolutely not". Security costs money, if "the cloud" is going to be as inexpensive as you portray it to be the first victim will be security. I predict that "the clould" will lack any kind of real security measures, it'll have some "token security" to blind those that don't know, but giving up local computing will also give up the controll you have about the security. And there is also the reliability of the cloud itself, not only security, but also stability and uptime. If i look at Microsoft's own BPOS, i'll have to conclude that even the largest and richest software company of the world is uncapable of running one of the most simplest of services (e-mail) reliably for any period longer than a week or two.